Engine



' Dec. 3," 1929.

T. s. MILLER 1 ENGINE Filed July 7, 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 #07 INVENTOR.

J By (M T. S. MILLER Dec. 3, 1929,

ENGINE Filed July 7. 19 .3

5 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR. I

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ENGINE Filed July '7. 19224. jayfi.

3 Sheets-Sheet 3 5%; L 733 I d w 7 .W n u y T.7 .ri a J) m m Z J Z M J W 7 m i U 67 I H W H 3 n1 0 III, 7 7 v /V. 2 B y H I 72 7 3 MI!!! ]I\. 1 1|! IJWHWH a 3 a 0 I w X W m (1 fih ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 3, 1929 um'rso STATES PATENT onnes ENGINE Application filed July 7, 1922. Serial No. 573,502.

is scope of my claims.

My invention will best be understood by reference to theaccoinpanying drawings in which. Figure 1 is a top plan view of one embodiment of my invention; Fig 2 is a side .20 view ofthe. construction shown in Fig. 1; Fig.

3 an enlarged view, partly in section, of certain features of construction embodied in Figs. 1 and 2;F1g. l 1s a diagram of connections; Fig. 5 is an end view of a brake device which is preferably used with a high ef- ..ticiency gearing; Fig; 6 is a plan view, partially in section, of a modification of my invention embodying an automatic arrangement for operating the controller for the meter; Fig. 7 a side view, partially insection, of Fig. 6, and Fig. .8 is a detail View.

Referring to the drawings by characters of reference, 1 designatesa bed frame or base, thesanie carrying pillars or standards 2 providod at their upper portions with aligning bearings 3 in whichis mounted a druanshaft 41. Upon the drum shaft is mounted a drum having end flanges 6, said drum being suitably fixed to said shaft so as to rotatetheret with. Upon the shaft 4 is also liXeda gear 7 which meshes with a pinion 8 mounted on a power transmission. shaft 9.-ar1.anged in suitable bearings 10, 11 and 12 mounted on standard 13iand on a gear housing mounted l on a bed plate, said gear-housing comprising a lower chamber portlon l4: and an upper cover or cap p1ece 15. On the shaft 9 is a large worm .gear 16 (see Fig. 3), which meshes with a wot-111117. mounted fixedly .ona horizontal sh aft 18. The shaftlS is arranged to rotate and also to slide lengthwise in suitable bearings carried preferably by the lower portion 14: of the gear housing. Each of these hearings preferably comprises a hollow boss 19 formed integral with the lower part 1 lof the gear housing, and in longitudinal alinelnent with each other. Within each of the bosses 19 is arranged a bearing sleeve 20 surrounding the shaft 18 and provided at its outer end with a securing flange 21 tl'irough which passes fastening stud bolts 22 threaded into the boss, whereby the sleeve is held in position. Each bearing sleeve preferably contains suitable packing material 23 held in place by a packing gland 24 secured by adjustable stud bolts 25 passing through a flange on said gland and threaded into the outer endof the sleeve 20. Each sleeve 20 is of less diameter than the bore of the boss 19, so as to provide an annular space 26 surrounding said bearing sleeve to provide a chamber, for a purpose to be presently described. The shaft 18' is provided at one end with a squared or singularly-faced portion 27 which slidably engages a correspondingly formed socket 28 in ,a bearing coupling or sleeve 29 which turns in a bearing 30' on a standard '31, the bearing being arranged in line with said shaft 18. The bearing coupling 29 is connected to the drive shaft 32 of a reversible electric motor 33 said coupling 29 being so connected to the shaft 32 as to revolve therewith, whereby rotary motion is transmitted from the motor to the shaft 18. The polyfaced end 27 of the shaft 18 arranged in engagement with the correspondingly formed socket in the bearing coupling 29 provides for longitudinal lniovelnentof said shaft relative to said bearing coupling without disconnecting the driving connection between said shaft and couplin Mounted on oneend portion of the shaft 18 is thrustcollar or flange 34. between which and a follower disc 35, also surrounding said shaft,. is any suit-able form of anti-friction hearing 36. Located in the boss 19 containing the disc .35, and betweensaid discland the flange or head 21 on the bearing sleeve 20, is arranged aspiral spring. 37, this spring being arrangedand adapted to resist end-wise movement of the shaft 18 toward the left, as viewed 'in Fig. 3, when the drum is overhauled by tension on a line wound thereon.

portion opposite to that just described, the

At the end shaft 18 is provided with a thrust collar or flange 38 fixed thereto, and between whlch and a slidable sleeve 39 in the associated boss 19 is a suitable anti-friction bearing 40. The

sleeve 39 surrounds the bearing sleeve 20, heretofore described, and between one end of the said sleeve 39 and the head 21 of the bearing sleeve is a coil spring 41 of less expansive force than the spring 37, heretofore described; the spring 41 being adapted to exert its force against the sleeve 39 to thrust the shaft 18toward the left as viewed in Fig. 3,

to maintain proper contact and prevent back lash between the elements 34, 36, 35, 27 and 21.

. In the preferred form of my invention the wormgear 16 andengaging worm 17 are of high efiiciency wherein a certain torque in the drum will turn the worm. When the line on the drum is placed under tension which would tend to overhaul the drum, and the electric brake applied to the shaft in the manner hereinafter described the worm 17 will not rotate,butwill move the shaft 18 toward the left, as-viewed in Fig. 3, and pla cc the spring 37 under compression. It wlll also be'seen that the spring 37 being under comthe drum, For this purpose I'provide a suitablecontrol for causing the motor to drive the drum in the winding-in direction when slack greater than that desired occurs in said line, and to drive the motor in the reverse direction to pay out the line when the tension of the line is greater than that desired. The control maintained is as follows: 7

' The outer end of the shaft 18 is arranged to project beyond the packing gland 2 4,v as

shown at 42, and is provided with an annular groove 43 in which is arranged a collar 44 to which is pivotally connected as at 45, one end of a yoke or link 46, the opposite end of which .is pivotally connected, as at 47, to one end of frame.

a rocking leve'rj48 pivoted intermediate its ends, as at; 49, at 'anysuitable point upon the The'opposite end of the lever 48 is pivotally connected, as at 50, to one end of a rack bar 51,.which slidably projects through a guide block 52 on a hand-lever 53, which f lever issuitably fulcrumed, as at 54. Arms or v member'sf55 are secured tothe shaft 54, and

each arm carries a contact 56, said contacts cooperating with fixedsegmental contacts, indicated generally at 57, the fixed contacts preferably being arranged in two groups 57 and'57 at'the right and at the left, respectively, in Fig. 4, with a free space between the two groups, so that when the lever 53 occupies the position illustrated in Fig. 3, the contacts 56 occupy a neutral position between the two groups of contacts 57 and 57 and the electric brake which will be more fully hereinafter described becomes operative. When the handle 53 is moved to the right, as viewed in Fig. 3, the contacts 56 are brought into contact with the contacts 57, thereby connecting the armature 33 and field 33 of the motor to the line L. L by a circuit which will be readily traced in Fig. 4, the current passing through the armature and field of the motor in series and in a direction to produce in the motor a torque tending to pay out the line. The contacts of the controller, which controller I have indicated generally at A, are so arranged that when the controller is moved to the first position in either forward or reverse, all of the resistance of a resist-- ance member 58 is included in the motor circuit, the resistance being gradually cut out as the controller is moved through the successive positions until in the last position of the controller, all of the resistance is cut out, the operation of the controller in this respect being the same as the usual operation of controllers of the type illustrated. \Vhen the handle 53 is moved to the left from the neutral position, the contacts 56 are brought into engagement with the cont-acts 57 b and the motor is energized, but the current through the 'field of the motor is now in a direction the reverse of what it was with the handle at the right, and a torque is roduced in the motor tending to wind in t 1e line on the drum. \Vhile I have illustrated a plain series motor, it will,of course, be understood that mv invention is not limited to a motor of thispar- 'ticular type, as any reversible electric motor the drum is connected to the desired object,

the latch 61 on the hand-lever is released from the rack bar 51 and said hand-lever is moved to the left thereby closing a circuit to the motor to drive the drum in the winding direction until the desired tension is obtained on the line. When the desired tension is obtained, the control spring 37 will be placed under compression, due to the movement of the shaft 18 lengthwise under the pull of the line, and the rack bar 51 will be adjusted relative to the lever 53 a distance corresponding to the movement of the shaft 18. The lever 53 is then operated to bring the contact arm 55 to neutral, and the latch 61 is reengaged with the said rack bar 51 whereby the latter is locked to the hand-lever. When the produce a permanent length of line. In the arrangement here shown, the motor 33 drives a worm and worm wheel through the shaft 32 in 'the same manner as described in connectionwith Figs. 1, 2 and 3.- The end of the shaft 18in Fig. 7 corresponds .to the leftshand end of the shaft similarly indicated in Fig. 3. The end of the shaft 18 is connected by a yoke to the lower end ofan arm 71 secured on a shaft 72. An arm 7 3, also secured on'the shaft'72, is connected at its upper end by a link or links 74' to one end of astem or rod 75 slidably mounted in a bearing member 76 and thread-- ed at its opposite end, as at 77. The threaded end 77 of the rod 75 is received in theend of a shaft 78 slidably received in a sleeve 79 but feathered thereto so that the two rotate together. The sleeve 79 has its bearing at 80in a part of the frame, and is'preferably provided at'its outer end with a hand-wheel 81, and near the other'end with a bevel-gear 82' forming apart of the automatic arrange ment. The inner end of the shaft 78 is provided with an annular groove 83 in which is'received a collar 84 engaged by a yoke member 85 secured to or forming a part oftan arm 86 secured on the shaft 54, the rotation of the latter operating the controller A in the same manner as described in connection with Figs. 1, 2 and 3. By manipulalationof the hand-wheel 81, the controller may be operated in the same manner as that described'in connection with Figs. 1, 2 and 3. Assuming that the controller and the associated parts have been adjusted, then by rotating the hand-wheel 81 to the right or to the left, the shaft 78 iscorrespondingly rotated and is moved to the right or to the left on the threaded steam 75, thereby moving the upper end of the arm 86 to the right or to the left and correspondingly operating the controller. 1

I will now describe the automaticarrangement for operating the controller: A shaft 87 has its'b'earing at 88 in a bracket 89 secured t'o the frame ofthe engine. One end of the shaft 87 is provided with a bevel-gear 9O loose on the shaft 87 meshing with the bevel-gear 82 on the sleeve 79. On theopposite end of the shaft 87 is mounted a gear 91 loose on-the shaft 87 and meshing with the gear wheel 7. The shaft 87 is rotated from the gear 91, preferably through a friction clutch comprising afriction member 92' slidable longitudinally of the shaft 87 but rotating therewith. The member 921:. provided with a hub 93 and with a flange 94 frictionally engaging the side of the gear -wheel 91. -A coil spring 95 is interposed between the end of the hub 93 of the friction member and a collar 96 on the shaft 87 which is held in position by lock nuts 97. I A clutch member 98 is secured to rotate with the shaft 87 but is movable longitudinally thereon, the same being operated by any suitable mechanism. The clutch member 98 is formed with clutch jaws engaging a cooperating clutch part'formed on the gear 90, as shown in Fig. 6, so that when the clutch member 98 is moved into engagement with the corresponding clutch member formed on the gear 90, the gear 90 is rotated by the shaft 87 and correspondingly rotates the gear 82, thereby imparting movement to the controller in the same manner as described in connection with the usual control.

It will be understood that the device illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7, by disconnecting the clutch member 98 and thereby disconnecting the automatic control, may be operated manually, the same as the device illustrated and described in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. By closing the clutch of the automatic arrangement, the device operatesautomatically in the following manner: Assume that the line on the towing engine or winch, which is preferably located on the towing vessel, is subjected to an increase in tension by a more or less permanent increase of speed of the towing vessel. The increase in tension on the line will move the end of the shaft 18, as viewed in Fig. 7, to the right, thereby moving the stem 75 and the upper end of the arm 86 to the left to operate the controller to reverse position, thereby rotating the motor in a direction to pay out the line. As soon as the motor begins to rotate, however, the gear 7 rotates the gear 91, and through the described connections operates the controller back toward the neutral position, so that when pay out has been sufficient to bring controller to neutral, the spring 37 will be compressed more and the normal tension higher than was previously the case, thus preventing further nor mal pay out of line and causing the winding in of line lost by previous increase. The line will thus be maintained at constant, or substantially constant, length.

WVhen normal tension is on the line, therefore, the controller is in the neutral position, the motor is deenergized, and the drum is prevented from rotating. A temporary variation of the tension in the line moves the controller to close a circuit to the motor, thereby causing the same to rotate in a direction to correct the variation in tension. As soon as the motor, however, begins to rotate, then the automatic device is operated in response to the rotation of the motor which moves the controller in a direction to cut off the current from the motor and check the rotation thereof.

WVhat I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. In a winding engine, a drum, a reversible electric motor for driving the drum in two directions, gearing connecting the motor and drum, means controlled by the thrust on gearing to cause the motor to rotate in eithei of two directions during" nee operation. i 5 2. In a winding engine, a drum, a reversible electric motor for driving the drum two directions, gearing connecting themotor and arm, a controller for the motor, and means for operating said controller in ac cordance with variations in thrust on said earing cause the motor to rotate in either of two directions aunagnennai operation. 3.- In a winding engine, a drum, a reversi'hle electric motor for driving the drum in two directions, vorin gearing connecting the motor and drum, and means whereby variations thriist either side of normal exerted on said Worm gearing causes the motor to rotate iii direction or the other to Wind in lp'ay out the line. 1

4'; n mending engine, a drum, aflmotor' for drivingthe drum in two directions, a sewer transmitting shaft mounted for endivish movement, aivorm on said shaft, a Worm meshin wan said were and transmitpower thereiromto the drum, and means it ebv 'nd vi ise movement of said shaft caused by variations iii thrust eXertedby the Cu m on said we e causes an motor to retate in one direction or the other during nor- Ina o eration. a

5: ii a Winding engine, a driiin, a motor for driving the drum in two directions, a power transmitting shaft mounted for end Wisemovement, a cushioning" means resisting endwise movement (if said shaft, a Worm on said shaft, a Worm gearme'shing with said were and transmitting power therefrom to the drumyand means whereby variations in thrust either side of normal exerted on said was gearing" causes endw'is'e movement of said shaft and causes the motorto rotate in one direction or the other to wind in or pay exit the cable; 1 6. nine engine; atvindin'g drum for a line, an elect rid motor for operatin saiddruin, a cont-roiier for the motor, means responsive to temporary variations tension onthe line for operating" said cbiniener" to rotate said meter iii a direction tending to correct the variation" in tension, and responsive to the" out drain g of said 1am for Clih the rotation (if said i 7. In an engine, a winding drum for line, associated to comprising" anelectric inofor putting the lin under tensiommeans po s1 eto temporary variatiensia tension on theme for causing said motor to rotate ctioii tendi g'toco (it the variation tensiomand-me'ansfesporisiveto the iii-g or viiiiding nofthe line for thanking the flitat'ion of said motor.

8-. engine, a weidin arumrer a line",

6hr associated? means comprising an arena-1e moits lit

tor for putting the-line finder teammates responsive to normal tension on the line for deenergizing said motor, and means responsiveto an increase or decrease in tension on the line for energizing said motor and cans ing it to rotate in one direction or the other to pay out or Wind in the line.

9. In an engine, a Windingdi'um for a line, associated means comprising a reversible electric motor for putting said line under tension, means responsive to normal tension on the line for deenergizing said motor, means responsive to variations in tension on the line for rotating said motor in a direction tending to correct the variation of tension, and means responsive to the paying out and Windmg in of the line for checking the rotation of said motor.

10. In an engine, a Winding drum for a line, an electric motor for operating said druni in either of two directions, a member for controlling said motonautoniatic means responsive to variations in tension on the line for actuating said member, means for operating said member manually, and means under control of the operator fordisabling said antoniatic means during manuai operation.

V 11. In an engine, a Winding drum for a line, an electric motor for operating said drum, meanswhereby the motor is energized on a variation in tension in the line tending to rotate the motor in a direction to pay out or Wind in the line to correct such variation, and automatic means operable While said line is being paid out or Wound in to check the rotationot said motor and increase or decrease respectively the tension in the line.

12. In, an engine, a Winding drum, an elec tric motor for operating said drum, a controller constructed and arranged normally to break the circuit to said motor and operative on movement in: opposite directions from the normal position for closingcircuits tothe motor to cause the same to rotate in one direction or the other depending upon the direction in which said controller is moved, means responsive to variations in tension on the line for moving said controller away from normal position andthereby cause said motorto operate saiddruni, and automatic means operable in response to the paying out or Wind ingin oi the line for checking the rotation oi said motor. p

13. In an eiigine a Winding drum, an electric motor for operating said drum, a com troller constructed andarranged normally to breakthe circuit to Saar motor and operative on movement in o posite directions from the normal position or closing circuits to the motorto causethe same to we 'ein one direc tioii or theother depending upon the three tion in which saideontrolier is moved, means responsive to vamanonsm tension on the line fo flnioving controller avvay from nor} mal position and thereby cause saidahotor to'operate said drum, and a brake for nor- .mally preventing rotation of said motor troller constructed and arranged normally to break the circuit to said motor and operative on movement in opposite directions from the normal position for closing circuits to the motor to cause the sameto rotate in one di-- rection or the other depending upon the direction in which said controller is moved, means responsive to variations in tension on the line for moving said controller away from normal position and thereby cause said motor to operate saiddrum, and an electric brake for normally preventing rotation of said motor and operative onmovement of said controller to neutral position.

15. Apparatus for controlling the cable of a towing or mooring machine or the like, comprising adrum for Winding up the cable, an electric motor, a 'yieldable driving connection between said motor and said drum whereby said drum is movable independently of said'motor in response to the tension of the cable, means operated responsively to said independent movement of the drum for controlling the energization of said motor to cause said motor to pay out cable upon the occurrence of a predetermined maximum tension and to wind up cable upon the occurrence 'ofa predetermined minimum tension whereby a predetermined mean tension is main; .tained.

16. Ina winch, the combination of a windlass, a cable secured at one end thereto and [adapted to be secured at its opposite end to an object relatively foreign to said Windlass, amotor adapted to operate .saidwindlass to wind up said cable when it is slack and to reverse said Windlass to pay out said cable when it is under severe tension, yielding means adapted to be put under tension by said cable acting through said windlass, means governed by saidyielding means for automatically energizing said motor to re verse the same topay out said cable when the cable is under severe strain, and means for automatically energizing said motor to operate the same .to wind upsaid' cable when the cable is slack. V

17. Ina winch,vthe combination of a reciprocable member, a Windlass, an electric- 7 ing circuit embodying anormally open contact, an electric circuit for reversing said motor, said revers ng circuit embodying a normally open contact, a circuit closer for said reversing circuit adapted to be moved into circuit-closing position by said reciprocable member, when said member has advanced to a predetermined point from central or idle position, and a circuit closer for said operating circuit adapted to be moved into circuit-closing position by said member when said member has retreated to a predetermined point from the advanced end oi its path of travel.

18. In a winch, the combination of a reciprocable member, means for reciprocating said member, a cable drum and drum gear, a cable on said drum, means responsive to variations in tension on said cable and mounted on said reciprocable member for automatically operating and reversing said gear, and means adapted to be governed by the reciprocation of said member for con trolling said operating and reversing means.

19. Apparatus for controlling the cable of a towing or mooring machine or the like, comprising a drum for winding up the cable, an electric motor, a driving connection between said motor and said drum including a member having cooperating parts relatively movable in response to the tension of the cable, a control member for said motor, and means for giving said control member movement of translation in response to relative movement of said parts to control the energization of said motor to pay out cable upon the occurrence of a predetermined maximum tension and to wind up cable upon the occurrence of a predetermined minimum tension, whereby a predetermined mean tension is maintained.

20. Apparatus for controlling the cable of a towing or mooring machine or the like, comprising a drum for winding up the cable, an electric motor, a yieldable driving connection between said motor and said drum, whereby said drum is movable independently of said motor in response to the tension of the cable, said connection including a shaft, means operated responsively to said independent movement of the drum in a direction parallel to said shaft for controlling the energization of said motor to cause said motor to pay out cable upon the occurrence of a predetermined maximum tension, and wind up the cable upon the occurrence of a predetermined minimum tension, whereby a predetermined mean tension is maintained.

21. Apparatus for controlling the tension of a cable of a towing or mooring machine or the like, comprising a drum for winding up the cable, an electric motor, a yieldable driving connection between said motor and said drum whereby said drum is movable independently of said motor in response to the tension of the cable, a controlling member operated responsively to said independent movement of the drum, said controlling member acting to eflect the energization of said motor to cause said motor to pay out cable upon the occurrence of a predeten mined maximum tension, to de-energize the motor upon a predetermined mean tension 5 in the cable and to energize the motor to Wind up cable upon the occurrence of a predetermined minimum tension in the cable, whereby a predetermined mean tension is maintained.

1( 22. In a winding engine, a Winding drum and the line Wound thereon, an electric motor for operating the same, means responsive to variations in tension on said line for automatically controlling the current to the 1;; motor for driving the same in either of two directions for maintaining a substantially constant pull on the line, and means for changing the pulling capacity of the machine.

20 23. In a Winding engine, a Winding drum and the line Wound thereon, an electric motor for operating the same, means responsive to variations in tension on said line for auton'iatically controlling the current to the :25 motor for driving the same in either of two directions for maintaining a substantially contant pull on the line, and manually adjustable means for changing the pulling ca pacity of the machine.

3d 24. In combination, a motor, a rotary member driven by said motor, a Winding drum, a yielding power-transmitting connection between the rotary member and the drum, and means to maintain a substanw tially constant resistance to the turning of the drum by a hawser Wound on the drum While the tension on the haWser is at sub stantially a predetermined amount, said means being operable by relative rotation 4?) of said rotary member and said drum to decrease the resistance to the turning of the drum by the haWser When the tension on the hawser is suddenly increased, and to increase such resistance When the tension on the J haWser is increased above the predetermined amount for a relatively long period.

THOMAS SPENCER MILLER. 

